As one of it’s many fascinating tricks, nature has afforded your lawn the opportunity to go dormant in times of drought. Dormancy is nothing to worry about, as it is actually a protection tactic to help grass perpetuate in severe weather conditions. However, a dormant lawn often resembles a dead lawn, so it can be tricky to distinguish between the two. Here’s a quick comparison that should help you decipher what your lawn is calling out for.

When grass is dead it loses its soft, green texture in exchange for a straw-like brown look. If your grass dies in the hot heat of the summer, it can often be even more difficult to tell which measures to take to correct the situation. The best way to distinguish whether or not your grass dead or dormant is by watering it continuously. Since grass goes dormant to protect itself from drought, watering should allow the brown hues to subside. However, if some spots green up and other don’t, the brown spots may have died after all. Trying to figure out if you grass is dead or dormant in the winter is a bit harder, so it’s usually best to wait for the weather to warm up to tell.

Dormant grass has the same brown coloring of dead grass, but it is actually still living with minimal water-absorption. Dormancy is nature’s way of protecting the grass crowns by sacrificing a bit of the blades that grow from them. As mentioned above, the best way to tell if your grass is dormant is by watering it, but there’s a chance that you won’t really know what’s going on until the weather conditions settle down.

Though dormancy is a natural defense mechanism, it still leaves your prized lawn looking sad and solemn. In order to prevent your grass from going dormant, make sure to keep a consistent amount of water flowing, especially during the warmer months. An automatic sprinkler system might be the perfect solution! In addition, planting a mixture of cool-season and warm-season grass seeds can help to keep your lawn growing green all year round.

Whether you’re looking for a hand with every day lawn care maintenance, or are interested in installing an in-ground sprinkler system to keep your lawn care consistent, the experts at Turf Unlimited can help. Locally owned and operated since 1996, we value the beauty of a lush, green lawn and are committed to providing the best available products and services in the industry to clients in the Massachusetts and New Hampshire areas.

To learn more about the services that we provide, or to schedule your complimentary on-site estimate, call 888-649-9919 today!